Contributing Writer: Jill Lerman

If you’re a parent with young children at home, then you know that finding a way to keep your children occupied and engaged so that you can find time to get things done or have a moment to recharge can be a challenge. 

Maybe you feel like you’re in a cycle of...

Contributing Writer: Kimberly Gawne 

TL;DR

Creating consistent daily rhythms and routines is one of the most effective ways to support young children’s emotional well-being, brain development, and family connection. By implementing predictable patterns in your day, you reduce stress, prevent ta...

Contributing Writer: Erica Trainor from the Lil' Iguana’s Children’s Safety Foundation

As parents of toddlers and preschoolers, we’ve all found ourselves saying “don’t” more times than we can count.

“Don’t touch that!”
“Don’t talk to strangers!”
“Don’t go near the water!”
“Don’t eat that!”

Tantrums are all kinds of T's: Tricky, Terrible, Testing, Trying, and, in any given day, Too Many!  (and Too Loud!)

I know, I'm preaching to the toddler tribe choir here.

You know that my goal is to teach you about another set of alliterative T's: how to Turn Tantrums into Teachable Moments....

I sat on the floor, face to face with an 18 month old little boy. He was trying to put a circle shaped toy into a square shaped hole.

He tried again and again and again, and it wouldn't fit.  

Frustration strained his face. His hands gripped tightly around the little circle. He tried many ti...

“It's not very beautiful is it?” We were painting little plaster Halloween creatures and this little four year old’s was multi-colored and multi-layered, hues blending to create new and different shades. 

When I hesitated, he put down the paintbrush held it up to show me and said again, “Nanny C...

"You can each pick one thing" I said to each of my girls as we entered the store. 

With that statement I released any attachment to what that item was.

Whether it was healthy or junk, a tube of bubbles or colored, lined index cards. (Even as a tiny Caroline already had a thing for school supplies!...

"Ok, it's time to clean up. Help me put these blocks back in the box please."

I was wrapping up a home visit and the recently-turned one year old looked at me and smiled. 

She then did these three things in quick succession:

1. Picked up a block
2. Put it in the wooden box
3. And dumped all the blo...

“Mom, what do you think I should do?” 

My daughter Caroline just started her first semester at Temple University, Japan. Her night is my day, and vice versa, so I often wake up to messages, pictures, or voice memos from her.  It’s a great way to start the day after meditation & gratitudes done, ...

Parents & Early Educators ask me a short list of questions, on repeat. And this always makes the top three!

My job is to be honest with you. So here it is.

Consciousness is only HALF of the formula for raising and teaching well rounded, whole kids.

So why is conscious discipline so popul...

“My toddler just won’t listen to me! And don’t even get me started on how they don’t follow directions.”

If I had a dollar for every time I heard a parent navigating the toddler years say this…

But here’s the thing.

Hearing isn’t the same as listening. They hear you, promise.

They are choosing n...

True, effective communication is based on real, authentic connection.  

When I really need a kiddo to hear me I touch my nose and say, “look at my nose so I know you can hear me”.  They often giggle, sometimes look at me funny as they get the joke, but I always get what I needed: their attention...